Vongola Prince
by pseudonym08
Summary: #8: He was dame, someone truly not worth-recognizing. And while he bore some striking resemblances with the first Vongola king, he was just Tsuna. Simply Tsuna, born to an ordinary line of Sawadas. Or… at least that's what the family tree said so. AU
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

**GREETINGS:** I'd like to extend my warmest gratitude to my dear readers for putting up with me this far, and to a friend for her good and honest opinions. She doesn't have an account, nor does she want to be named. But if you're reading this, thank you. Here's to you~!

**WARNINGS:** Adult!Reborn. Adult!Arcobaleno. AU.

**SUMMARY: **He was dame, someone truly not worth-recognizing. And while he bore some striking resemblances with the first Vongola king, he was just Tsuna. _Simply_ Tsuna, born to an ordinary line of Sawadas. Or… at least that's what the family tree said so.

* * *

**Vongola Prince**

by _pseudonym08_

_._

_Prologue_: Vongola Celebration

"Higher, papa!" A five-year old kid said as he sat on top of his father's shoulders. His tiny hands grab hold of what little he could of his father's short blond hair and shook it, demanding him to comply to his request. The blond man grinned at his son.

"Hai, hai," he replied, finding a sturdy wooden box nearby and using it as lever. "And higher we go!" He hoisted his son up, grabbing his hands as the other now literally stood on his shoulders. Little Tsuna's brown eyes widened in glee. His lips curved to a smile as he watched the parade on the streets.

People were cheering here and there, throwing confetti at the royal convoy. While an event like this was commonly done at least once a year, this year however was particularly special than the others, especially after all that had happened the last five years. Today was a day of celebration for the entire Vongola Kingdom, as this was the day their Prince Riku had finally recovered after that tragic incident a few years back.

That incident, now better known as the _Siege of Vongola,_ was the first major outbreak within the kingdom after such a long time, in the capital Sky Village no less. Unknowingly, spies from the nearby Millefiore Kingdom were able to infiltrate deep within the land; and when the sudden news came the Queen was about to give birth, mayhem ensued and the enemies attacked all at once. At that time, Vongola Quinto was off to a neighbouring village, just finishing his investigation with some of his advisers. He wasn't able to get back on time. And when he did, the Queen was already dead; and his newborn son, albeit protected, suffered poor health in his early years.

Vongola Quinto wasted no time and wrecked havoc on his own after hearing the news.

It was the first time everyone saw the other side of their revered King.

If not for his advisers, more blood would've been shed.

It was a year of great mourning for each one.

After all the surviving Millefiore agents were sent back, Vongola Quinto did everything he can to reconstruct the kingdom thereafter, as well as keep his family, mainly his son, in check. He didn't retaliate further, as doing so would only make matters worse; but he did forge a contract to scare the Millefiore off, stating that if they did so much as steal a chicken, the _Wrath of Vongola_ would finally be upon them.

Until now, the effects of war were still there. People who've lost their homes wandered aimlessly on the streets, or joined the growing number of bandits on the outskirts of the villages. And thus, with the help of his advisers, Quinto decided it best to address the internal matters first, strengthening the base of the kingdom.

And after five long years, his hard work finally paid off. In the form of his son.

The court physicians announced Prince Riku strong enough for any medication.

And thus, the celebration.

"Look, papa! Look!" Tsuna pointed at the last carriage of the convoy. Iemitsu tried his best to balance the kid, all the while trying to laugh to appease his beloved son.

At the end of the parade, pulled by majestic white horses was an open white carriage where the current King, Vongola Quinto, as well as his son, Prince Riku, and his right-hand adviser were. As proof, on both doors of the carriage was the golden insignia, the _Crest of the Vongola_, symbol of the kingdom.

Tsuna smiled even wider.

The King and Prince were exactly as what he had heard from stories. The King had straight blond hair, piercing blue eyes and a tattoo of the red Phoenix Wings on his forehead. Prince Riku, on the other hand, while he took the appearance of his father, his hair however was jet-black and his eyes of striking violet like his mother's. Beside them, and the only man standing, his black suit and yellow tie a contrast to the white motif, was said to be the infamous right-hand of the King, Reborn. He was leaning on one side of the carriage, hands folded and his face shadowed by his ever-present fedora hat. Not much is known about Reborn, other than he was one of the Immortal Seven, or _Arcobalenos_, the only known one in fact—a living evidence of the Vongola Legend.

Tsuna had turned to quiet observation when the royal carriage passed by. Standing on his father's shoulders, he was able to see the spectacle past the heads before them. Though it was a bit disappointing the King and Prince never looked at the sides, merely front; Tsuna was nonetheless [still] happy to finally see them up close and together. After all, he never had the chance of meeting either until now.

"Papa! Papa!" Tsuna called, wiggling his hands in hasty demand. He was about to tell his father what he saw when, at the last minute, he froze. He automatically turned around, towards the passing carriage. And the moment he did, his gaze was met with calculating black eyes.

A flash of recognition. Confusion. Denial. Then finally, settling with curiosity.

It all happened too quickly. But Tsuna, with eyes sharp even for a child, saw it all.

"What is it, Tsuna? Tell papa what you saw~" Iemitsu's call snapped him off of his reverie. Tsuna smiled; the recent encounter already forgotten.

"Nothing, papa!" was his mere answer.

* * *

FINAL **NOTEs: **At this point, the plot is unclear (as is my intention); but hopefully, in a few chapters, some light would be shed. More of the Vongola Legend will be explained later as well.

Thank you for reading. Reviews are appreciated. :D


	2. Chapter 1

**GREETINGS: **Thank you very much for the wait! I really didn't expect that cryptic prologue to gain so many supporters. Thank you! Now, on with the story. :D

**WARNINGS:** Adult!Reborn. Adult!Arcobaleno. AU.

* * *

**Vongola Prince**

by _pseudonym08_

_._

_"Like the sky that infinitely stretches itself. Rain, Storm, Cloud, Sun, Mist and Lightning, he influences all of them. He understands and accepts all of them."_

_._

_Chapter One_: Sawada Tsunayoshi

One lad, age 13, with gravity-defying hair, woke up later than he had initially planned. Again. He shot upright, blinking the sleep off as he looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

It read thirty past eight.

His eyes widened and promptly got off his bed, almost flying. Here and there, he'd trip over a few unsuspecting papers and random litters scattered on the floor; then again, just these three simple words were enough to keep him back up as he made a mad dash towards the bathroom: _Reborn. Exam. Dead_.

Those words held such great impact even by itself that, in no more than five minutes, the same lad with gravity-defying hair had finally emerged from his room. How he was able to prepare himself at such short amount of time, no one knew.

He hastily rushed downstairs, not minding at all when he slipped and fell all the way down halfway through. Rubbing his aching butt, luckily enough, he somehow managed to safely walk the remaining distance towards the kitchen, where his mother merrily hummed a tune to herself.

And being the sweet kid that he is, one Sawada Tsunayoshi merely grunted at her in greeting.

He didn't even notice his mother greet back.

He quickly grabbed his pack, his bamboo sword and a piece of bread from a plate on the table. While Sawada Tsunayoshi was as irresponsible as an oaf, or insensitive at times, thankfully, Sawada Nana had always been there to fill those things where he lacked. And for that, albeit rarely expressed, Tsuna was [still] ever grateful. He kissed his mother goodbye before stuffing said bread inside his mouth. Then, he was off the house, zooming past the cobbled streets and towards the combat field by the palace.

Ideally, and by that meaning _absolutely_ no traffic, it would've taken just fifteen minutes to reach the field; and as luck would've had it, today happened to be the_ busiest _day of the month, considering various merchants and traders from different villages have come to buy and sell some goods. His favourite habit of tripping over almost anything didn't help at all either.

By the time he reached the grounds, a little over an hour had passed.

His classmates had already formed themselves a circle, where in the middle of it were the two fighters currently pitting against each other. Tsuna desperately tried to blend in with the crowd. God knows what would happen if Reborn finds out he was late again.

Still panting, he put down his bag as he leaned on his sword.

"He's gonna kill you, Tsuna," someone slapped him on the back.

Tsuna almost fell face front, if not for the sword supporting his weight. Brows furrowed, he turned to a smiling Riku, whose shirt was damp from sweat and his sword casually hung over his shoulders.

Tsuna sighed.

"Please, I don't even want to think about it," he cried mentally. "And don't forget I'm still blaming you for this, _Riku._"

The other just laughed.

Tsuna tried to focus on the ongoing fight in hopes of distracting himself, technically ignoring Riku who was updating him on the current standing of today's tournament. He stood straight up, only to earn another smack on the shoulder from Riku's sword. "Mou, you're not listening, Tsuna."

Tsuna turned to his friend. He scratched his head and smiled in apology. "Gomen, Riku-"

"!"

But even said apology was cut short.

Tsuna felt a murderous presence fast approaching and his body immediately tensed; his eyes widened and all senses switched to alert mode. Tsuna knew this presence very well. Oh... _yes._ After all, who else could've had a killer intent as overwhelming as this one other than _that_ certain teacher-from-hell? It glued him in place. He wanted to run, but couldn't.

_Why does Reborn have to notice it real soon?_ Feeling the sudden rush, _dock_, his mind screamed and so he did. Tsuna bent low and spun around. His hand moved on its own, and successfully blocked what could've been a hard hit on his head.

Reborn smirked. _The kid showed progress_, Reborn thought. His reflexes had improved and his form was good but...

"You're still a hundred years too early to defeat me, dame-Tsuna," Reborn scoffed. He kicked the forgotten sword and Tsuna instantly fell on unforgiving ground. _Tsuna: _0\. _Reborn:_ 9.

"You still lack training, dame-Tsuna," Reborn dusted his pants and pulled down his fedora. "You disappoint me." His eyes narrowed.

"No one asked you to train me anyway!" Tsuna gritted his teeth.

Well, that was true.

Ever since Tsuna became friends with Riku about half a year ago, Reborn just magically came into the picture out of nowhere. He didn't expect he'd be a part of the package. Actually, even Riku himself hadn't expected the sudden progression. One day, the man just waltzed inside the classroom and announced he'd be the new combat teacher for 2-B. Then, whenever he and Riku were together after school, he'd suddenly show up and attack them both. In no time, Tsuna was roped into joining Riku even during his weekend trainings, since the both of them, Riku and Reborn, just happened to reach his neighbourhood during their occasional spar. _All the time._

And though it was unofficial, whenever he tried to escape or showed up even a second late, he would be severely punished. Tsuna couldn't even remember what he did wrong to incur Reborn's wrath. Or his attention. But whatever it was, Tsuna didn't mean it and he seriously didn't sign up for any of it. Nope, who in their right mind would?

Reborn must've just hated him.

"You look pathetic on the ground, dame-Tsuna. Get up. It's almost your turn on the ring," Tsuna blinked and snapped himself back to reality. Then, he grabbed his sword and stood up. Meanwhile, Reborn was already retreating towards his usual spot in front.

"Who will I be up against this time, Reborn?" Tsuna called. The other didn't even do so much as glance. His smirk just grew wider.

"The lowest scorer," he answered. "Don't worry, dame-Tsuna, I'm sure it'll be over in no time."

Tsuna's sweat dropped. Just what the hell was that supposed to mean?

Riku laughed from behind.

.

When it was finally Tsuna's time to fight, then again as expected, Reborn was right.

Everything ended in less than five minutes. There wasn't even so much as a fight. Tsuna's form was messed up. His grip on his sword was loose and he ended up poorly defending himself against his opponent's every assault. It didn't take long before his sword finally came flying and he had the enemy's thrust on his chest. Tsuna fell down. Everyone around him laughed.

"He is no good as always. The fight didn't even take five minutes," Tsuna heard one of his classmates.

"I wonder why Riku ouji-sama would even want to hang out with him. Did you know he just calls Riku ouji-sama by his name?"

"Really? So disrespectful."

"But hey, didn't Prince Riku hang out with the bullies before?"

"Then why is he with Tsuna now? Out of pity?"

And they laughed in chorus again. Tsuna tried to ignore all their provocations. He was still sitting on the ground when a hand reached out to him.

"You do always have a habit of attracting trouble, don't you, _dame_-Tsuna?" Riku smiled. Though hesitant at first, Tsuna took the offer in the end. "You never learn."

As Tsuna stood up, the bell on the tower rang, signifying the end of class. And since Tsuna had lost to the then lowest scorer, there was no need for an extension and everyone was dismissed. Soon, they all began filing out and towards the _Academia_.

* * *

FINAL **NOTEs:** Okay. I hadn't meant for that to be short. But I wanted this chapter to solely focus on Tsuna. Forcing the next chapter here would definitely destroy that… I think.

Anyway, please let me know what you think. Reviews are appreciated. Thank you for reading! :D


	3. Chapter 2

**GREETINGS: **Yey~! Thank you for the support and the wait.

**WARNINGS:** Adult!Reborn. Adult!Arcobaleno. Unbeta'ed. Raw chapter. AU.

* * *

**Vongola Prince**

by _pseudonym08_

_._

_"__You are bound by an oath; serving under the Sky, you will be its protectors. Its guardians."_

_._

_Chapter Two_: The Story of Six

It was a long walk back to school. After all, the Academia was located at the far side of the village, opposite where the palace and combat grounds were.

Tsuna walked beside Riku, the earlier confrontation completely forgotten as he contemplated on what to do about his forgotten readings instead. He was mumbling to himself when, after a while, he realised his friend had been unexpectedly silent all this time. While it was something of the usual, Tsuna had long since accepted Riku's rather bipolar nature; this time however, he noticed there was something wrong with Riku's expression. Something was obviously bothering him. His brows were furrowed and he kept looking at the new ring on his hand. It wasn't the Vongola Sky Ring, but Tsuna knew it wasn't just any ordinary ring either. After all, rings from the palace contained special properties said to bring out the flame of an individual.

Tsuna sighed. He wanted to ask what was wrong; but at the same time, he didn't want to pry. Riku's business was his own, especially when they concerned the kingdom.

"Ne, Tsuna," Tsuna looked at his friend, a bit surprised on the attention. Riku hesitated for a while. He clenched his hands and a flame materialised from the ring. It was orange, like the King, the trademark colour of Sky. "Do you remember the history of Vongola?"

Tsuna scratched his head.

"What part of _the_ history exactly?" he asked. While Tsuna may not be good at some, if not all of his subjects, history was actually something that he enjoyed. He felt a sense of connection to it somehow. He loved hearing about the legends and he admired the kings, maybe partly because it was what his father used to tell him when he was young.

"It wasn't written on the books, merely a legend. The story about the six guardians," he paused. Tsuna perked up. Then, he nodded. He knew of the guardians alright. Iemitsu had mentioned something about them, that they were Primo's good friends and like him, had unique flames of their own. However, since there were no written records about them, they just became legendary figures turned myth. Non-existent some would say. Even the palace hadn't said anything about them.

Not until now.

"Father called me last night and told me about them. He told me they were real, Tsuna. I didn't believe him at first. I mean... it was too good to be true, but father seemed pretty convinced. The _real_ history of Vongola. Apparently, it was a story passed down the royal bloodline."

Tsuna stayed silent. But he made an indication he was listening. Riku went on.

"Father said that Primo was no ordinary human as what we were led to believe, Tsuna. He was in fact the real ruler of the skies, who went down to earth to help and be with the mortals. He even became one himself, physically at least. But that did not deter him at the slightest. He unified the people and founded the kingdom, as was written in some books. He taught everyone about life, about the rings, about the flames," Riku unclenched his fists and the flame disappeared. "He thought it would be for the good of mankind."

Riku sighed. It was the first time he ever did that, Tsuna noticed.

"But he was wrong. He was wrong, Tsuna."

"The moment people knew of the flames, unrest grew within the kingdom and they started to take Primo for granted. There were uprisings, minor at first, but it didn't take long and there was a full-blown rebellion. That was when the six guardians came. They were never just his friends. The original six guardians ruled the sky with him. And seeing their leader get hurt, they could no longer bear it. So they came to take Primo back with them. But Primo refused. He wanted to fix the conflict he believed he himself created, and make everyone understand. He wanted to be with his people."

"The guardians felt defeated against Primo. They knew they couldn't change his mind, but they still loved their Sky deeply all the same. However, they also knew they couldn't be with him. They were, after all, the guardians of the sky. If all of them came down, it would put the world off balance. So instead, six mortals were chosen to drink their blood and take their place. Each given his own Vongola ring, kind of like my father's."

Tsuna nodded in understanding. He had seen Quinto twice before. The first was eight years ago and the next was on an alley after he became friends with Riku. On the latter, he had gotten so close to the King he was able to notice the ring on his hand. The ring, while it looked ordinary at first, actually had the Crest of the Vongola at its centre, and on each of two opposing sides lined three crystals, each representing the colour of a sky element.

"With each of the guardian at his side, the war was resolved quickly; and together, they helped Primo rule and rebuild the kingdom. Vongola prospered since then. They were undefeated, the last and ultimate line of defence. The villages were even named after them. Arashi. Taiyo. Inazuma. Ame. Kiri. Kumo. Then, the capital, Sora. Everything was well; that was, until one of the guardians betrayed Primo and he was forced to abdicate the throne. Soon after that, even the rest of the guardians themselves went out of the capital one by one. It was said they'd return when their true Sky calls for them. But until now, no one knew where they are or what happened to them. And they became just that. Legend. Or _myth_, some people would insist."

"But why?" Tsuna asked, brows crossed. When both reached Namimori intersection, they turned left before finally heading straight towards the academy. "Why did the palace kept this a secret, Riku-kun?"

Riku stared off into space, thinking, carefully choosing his next words. He looked at his friend. Having said this much, he couldn't possibly back out now.

"It was something the guardians made Secondo promise to them. They will return when they are needed. But until then, they'll be observing Vongola from a distance."

"Then why… why are you telling me this now?"

Riku was quiet for a while. So was Tsuna.

"Father…" Riku sighed again. "He said it was my job as the next king to look for them. To be that Sky that calls for them. There is unrest within the kingdom, Tsuna. And I know, thirteen years ago, it was just the beginning. Millefiore _is _planning something. If we don't find them, we're going to lose this war. I will not let that happen." Riku's ring lit up once again, this time the flame was stronger. Brighter.

Tsuna couldn't help but look at his friend, and those violet eyes that sparked with great resolve. It was the first time he'd witness firsthand Riku's strong will, to protect and look for his people. Tsuna softened. He admired his friend. If only he could be like him, if only…

"Gomen, Tsuna. Did I weird you out again?"

Tsuna snapped out of his reverie and shook his head. He smiled.

"I know you can do it, Riku_,_" he gave him a thumbs up._"_I'm sure you'll find the guardians."

Riku took a deep relieved breath and he too smiled back.

The two had just reached the gates of the academy when, in a dire attempt to lighten up the mood, it was Tsuna's turn to slap Riku on the back. "So, should you be looking out for at least a hundred and fifty year old jii-san now with shiny rings and sparky flames?" Tsuna laughed. Riku's sweat dropped.

"I… I don't know if that's going to be the case. But until that happens, I actually have another favour to ask of you, Tsuna," Riku turned to the other with a wicked grin plastered on his face. Tsuna raised a skeptical brow, his smile dropping. A grin like that couldn't be any good. He gulped.

"I want you to become my adviser!"

Tsuna almost fell.

.

Sometime past noon, Riku had come to Tsuna and apologised he had extra work to do and couldn't leave school with him. Tsuna just nodded. So when afternoon came and school ended, he simply grabbed his pack and walked home alone. The streets were still as lively at five. Goods brought by merchants still lined the pavement. Tsuna beamed at the merry smiles they bring.

No wonder Riku wanted to fight. Even at a tender age of 13, he already had what it takes to rule the land. To protect those smiles and the people he loved. After hours had passed, Tsuna still couldn't forget everything Riku had told him a while ago. And that invitation… really, he should've just been honoured and accepted it. But then, Tsuna being Tsuna, he _didn't_.

After all, he was _just_ Tsuna, dame-Tsuna, born to an ordinary line of Sawadas. He couldn't even properly swing a sword and always scored lowest in all his subjects, much less become a proper adviser and rule alongside Riku. A boy like him... What can he possibly do? Something as big as going out to war or changing the world isn't just his kind of thing. Or at least, not _yet_.

Tsuna scratched his head as he laughed at himself.

What was he thinking anyway?

As Tsuna made a turn towards his house, something silver on another block caught his attention. If it would've been anything else, he would've just ignored it and went on. However, upon closer inspection, eyes narrowed and brows crossed, Tsuna soon realised that the silver had been someone's hair. Specifically, it belonged to a lad about a year older than him collapsed on a corner. He ran towards the person. Judging by the clothes he wore and the big pack with him, the lad must've been from a nearby village. Maybe he's one of the merchants?

Then again, most traders, especially new ones, would usually (and instinctively) head towards the Town Square. What was this lad doing wandering along one of the residential areas?

Maybe he's a bandit or a criminal then? Well, while he indeed appeared to be one, something at the back of Tsuna's mind told him the lad wasn't anything like that. If he was, there should've been a commotion here a while ago. Then again, looking back at the stranger, he seemed to be here longer than two hours and no authorities had come to arrest him yet. Tsuna noticed his hand was clutching his stomach. So... maybe he was just hungry?

Tsuna sighed.

Now it was common knowledge that when you meet a suspicious stranger collapsed on the street, the best thing to do would be to ignore them, much so if that suspicious person happened to have many creepy-looking rings on his hand and strange piercings on his ear. People like that only spell trouble. But for certain things even Tsuna himself does not understand, he did the complete opposite.

Tsuna bent low and grabbed the stranger by the arm. Then slowly, he walked back towards his house.

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FINAL **NOTEs: **Again, thank you for reading! Reviews are appreciated. :D


	4. Chapter 3

**Note: **Yeah, you guys were right when you said Vongola History was taken after Akatsuki no Yona. For those who haven't read it, I suggest you do. It's a really cool manga/anime. The character development is superb. Anyway, like I said, it was patterned after it. In fact, if you noticed, my fics are mostly an integration of various manga/anime plotlines or settings, sparked mostly after reading or watching said manga/anime (_just _for fanfiction though). But, since I'm not gonna place the characters of the other manga (e.g. in this case, AnY characters), I decided to simply place this under KHR fandom. So... there. :) Again, read AnY. You won't regret it. lol

**WARNINGS:** Adult!Reborn. Adult!Arcobaleno. Unbeta'ed. Short. AU.

* * *

**Vongola Prince**

by _pseudonym08_

_._

_Chapter Three_: The Silverette Human Bomb

"Teme! Where am I?"

Tsuna shifted on the bed. Voices… he heard voices. A dream?

"Show yourself bastards!"

Tsuna heard something went Ka-BOOM! It sounded too realistic for him, too near; not to mention he was sure he could feel the shaking it caused. He wiped the sleep off his eyes. What time was it? Tsuna looked at the clock on his drawer. It was only four in the morning. His eye twitched. Why was someone so loud so early in the morning? He knit his brows. _Must've been a dream then, _he thought.

Tsuna wanted sleep. He pulled the sheets up his face; but before he could hit lalaland again, even before he could close his eyes, he heard another noise from downstairs, louder than before. Did his mother drop some plates again?

Tsuna scratched his head. He groggily sat up and moved towards the edge. He fell off the bed.

"Ite-!" Tsuna screamed. It didn't really hurt as much as he thought it would (constant beatings from a certain madman-from-hell made him somewhat immune to pain), but it still hurt nonetheless. Tsuna rubbed his butt, fully awake now. He sighed; then made his way out of his room.

The moment Tsuna reached the kitchen, surprisingly unharmed this time, a plate came flying to his direction. He docked in time, and the plate crashed on the wall behind him. Tsuna's eyes widened. _That was close, _his sweat dropped. Tsuna turned to the source of the flying saucer. Though it was dim (he never turned on the lights nor even thought of doing so), he could vaguely make out an outline of a tall lad with silvery hair.

"Teme!" said lad cursed. It was the very man Tsuna had saved from starvation yesterday afternoon.

The adrenaline from docking before a flying plate was still kicking in. And it was then Tsuna noticed the blown-up counter behind the lad. And, of course, the equally blown-up wall.

_I knew it_, Tsuna admonished. _I shouldn't have saved him. _Though, Tsuna was sure, even after saying that, he would still save the man regardless of anything — any man in need actually. He was such a sucker for the needy. Sometimes, he cursed his own kindness, something he knew was rubbed off of him by his late father.

"Where am I?" the lad yelled.

"P-please calm down," Tsuna answered, panic evident in his voice. He mentally noted the sword, his sword leaning on the corner to his right and the door on his left. He knew his skills sucked, if the weekly class tournaments were any indication, but he can't be choosy this time. It's the only thing he had.

"Ara~ You're up so early in the morning Tsu-kun," Nana entered the kitchen, a glint of surprise (and was that happiness?) on her eyes. "Are you going to help mama cook this time again?"

_Mama!_ Tsuna battled the urge to slam his head on the wall. _Why do you have to come now? _Moreover, didn't she even notice how messed up the kitchen was? Everything screamed danger and the lad-

Tsuna looked back at the lad. He had thought, seeing a helpless civilian (i.e. Nana), would make the silverette twice as aggressive as he was, taking advantage of said civilian like all criminals would. But then, it turned out the sight of his mother seemed to have an opposite effect on the intruder, contrary to what Tsuna was expecting. He noticed the other's green eyes softened, hopefully a result of the latter realising his own mistake.

Realising this himself, it was Tsuna's turn to take advantage of the situation. He quickly grabbed his sword and ran out of the house like the madman himself. He couldn't let his mother get involved in the crossfire any more than she already was. The lad was still dangerous. Even a room apart, he could smell more explosives hidden inside his clothes. _The man is a ticking time bomb_, Tsuna cried. And if said man would follow him outside, then good. His mom wouldn't get hurt. He'd save the house from further damage too. If he wouldn't, better. Because somehow, Tsuna knew that the human bomb wouldn't hurt his mom. How? He didn't know himself. He just… knew. Sensed, perhaps?

When Tsuna reached the road, the other one soon followed. Tsuna resisted prostrating himself on the ground. So much for hoping he wouldn't come.

"So you've come to meet your end," the silverette smirked, before pulling a dynamite from his pocket. How said dynamite could fit in the former's small pocket, Tsuna could only wonder.

"Eat this!" and the dynamite mysteriously lit up and was thrown towards him.

Normally, Tsuna would've panicked at this point. But strangely, he felt nothing of the sort. Instead, he was overcome with warmth and a weird sense of calmness, telling him, despite everything he wanted to believe, that this man was harmless. This man was good. He will not die. No, at least not from this.

Tsuna briefly saw a look of confusion from the silverette's face. But before he could think more of it, it was gone. And the dynamite was still heading towards him. Tsuna knitted his brows. And with a reflex he never imagined he had, swung his sword and cut the dynamite in half (yes, he mistakenly pulled the real one this time). The other lad's eyes widened. Then, he cursed before pulling more dynamites from his jacket.

This time, seeing all those dynamites, Tsuna… he finally let panic take him.

"Gaaah! Dynamites!" he sheathed the sword and ran.

"Teme! Get back here, coward!" and the silverette chased after him.

"No! Why would I? I must be insane if I do."

"Tch. Stop moving!"

For the next minutes, the two ran along the neighbourhood, with the latter throwing dynamites here and there. It was almost weird, a miracle at the same time, that none of the residents had gone out yet to investigate the matter. He was damn screaming 'Help me' for the life of him. _They must've thought this was all a dream! _Or some hype of the merchants in town. Tsuna was about to go insane, if he wasn't already.

"HELP ME!" Tsuna screamed at the top of his lungs (again).

Amidst his running however, Tsuna's senses flared big time. A presence. A presence he knew too well. _Was it their every day training already? _Everything just gets better and better. Two people after his dear life all at once. Tsuna complained. Not looking where he was going, he tripped. Tsuna cursed.

Ah… the beauty of life, Tsuna could see it flash before him. He closed his eyes. Then…

BANG!

Tsuna felt nothing at first. But somehow, he was sure he had been shot on the head. And now, he felt all the rage within him break free. Uncontrollable. To the point that even his clothes tore apart. "Re-born!" Tsuna wasn't in control. Unconscious, and not at the same time. All that he wanted was: "Defuse all the bombs!"

Before he could even hit the ground, a force pushed Tsuna up and he faced the silverette lad, who had a bewildered look on his face. After all, the lanky kid with the sword who had been scared shitless before was now standing up, on nothing more than his boxers and with eyes that blazed with unutterable determination.

But Gokudera wasn't one to just cower before a stronger (at least appeared stronger) opponent either. He threw the dynamites he had. "Double the bombs!"

If before, the lanky kid had shown small signs of doubt, everything right now was different. Tsuna 'attacked' the dynamites bare-handedly. He had thrown the sword sometime back. And swiftly, he defused the bombs one by one. Surprise was an understatement for the lad with the silvery hair.

"Tch," his brows crossed. He took more and more bombs, some he'd even have to put between his lips just to hold them. "Triple the bombs!"

Speaking was his mistake however. Before he could even throw them, some of the dynamites fell off on him. Realising the inevitability of blowing himself up, the silverette surrendered and let the rest of his weapons fall off. "The end… of me."

But his enemy thought otherwise. "Defuse all the bombs!" Just when he thought he'd die, Tsuna had defused even those under him. And though ashamed, he couldn't be more grateful.

"What were you thinking?!" the brunette grabbed him by the collar, just as the flare on his eyes faded. The silver-haired lad looked away.

"I-"

"Look out!" Tsuna gasped and pushed him away, moving backward himself at the same time. That instant, another bullet whizzed past them and landed just where they once stood. Before both of them could even blink, a fully-suited man with a fedora hat stood before them.

"Ciaossu," he greeted. "I didn't see you here, _dame_-Tsuna." He looked at the brunette.

_Liar_, Tsuna wanted to say but knew better when to hold his tongue. He knew Reborn was at fault for whatever fiasco happened to him a while back, must be a result of some voodoo magic similar to the state he once saw Riku in before.

"Teme! Who are you?"

The silverette turned around and faced Reborn. The moment he did, Tsuna was sure there was a hint of recognition and surprise that crossed the adviser's face. A deja vu. The kind of look Tsuna felt was once directed at him. But when? He couldn't remember.

"You sure catch the most unusual of people, dame-Tsuna," Reborn lowered his fedora. "Then again, I would expect nothing less from you."

Then, he left; but not after that smirk appeared on his face.

_What was that about? _Tsuna was not one to trust superstition, but _that _was definitely eerie. Thinking it was another sign of a future punishment, Tsuna stood on-edge. Then, he saw the silver-haired lad turn to face him, awe, excitement, joy — and everything else synonymous to happiness — painted his face.

Tsuna raised a brow

.

"Tsuna!" Tsuna turned around and saw a panting Riku headed towards him.

"Riku-"

Before Tsuna could say more however, the silverette was beside him, in front of Riku, and kneeling. "Heika!" he greeted. "I am Gokudera Hayato, a humble servant before you and ready to serve. I will answer you and your call alone. Your word is my command."

And before a confused Riku, somehow, Tsuna understood what those words meant. _They might've had heard your call, Riku._

"Bound by an oath, serving under the Sky, you will be its protectors."

The first guardian is here.

* * *

FINAL **NOTE: **Ahh… Well, you know, just to throw you guys off-course. A little. I'm evil. And yes, unlike the manga/anime, Gokudera will be staying inside Sawada residence.

Again, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. :D Feedbacks are highly appreciated. :)


	5. Chapter 4

**Greetings: **Thank you very much for the support and the wait! :) An advance Happy Christmas to all of you!

**WARNINGS: **Unbeta'ed. Short chap. AU.

* * *

**Vongola Prince**

by _pseudonym08_

_._

_Chapter Four_: A Glimpse of Two Skies

Riku was still unsure with what was going on. Some random lad just bowed to him. And while he was accustomed to people doing so, somehow he also felt this man was different. There was that sense of connection, a kind of feeling that the silverette was different, like a part of an answer he was waiting for all this time.

"Heika! Sorry it took me a while to get here. I've always wanted to meet and serve you. Now, I can die happy!" the lad, Gokudera, fisted the air and stood up.

Riku laughed. "What's the point of serving me if you're going to die?" he asked. "Like a certain idiot once said, please value your life more." Riku smiled. And with these words, Gokudera's eyes lit up. His king was still as kind-hearted as the legends have said, a man who valued his friends and the life of the people dear to him.

"I won't let you down, Heika!"

"Please. Just call me Riku. You're a friend of Tsuna, I suppose?"

Gokudera eyed the now-silent brunette. Figuring said brunette must be what his Heika was referring to, and not wanting to hurt his Heika, he nodded. "Great!" Riku exclaimed. "Now I won't have to worry about him. Isn't it good, huh, Tsuna?" He looked at Tsuna. "You finally have a friend other than me."

Tsuna grunted. After all, it wasn't like Gokudera and him were 'friends.' Just a few minutes ago, he was running away from said 'friend' who wanted to kill him. And_ friends don't just go running around killing each other_, Tsuna mused. Besides, Tsuna didn't want to involve himself with any more scary guys like him and that certain teacher-from-hell, whether he's a guardian from the legends or not.

Tsuna had enough on his plate, thank you. He wanted a peaceful life, something that won't put Nana in harm's way. Thus, life-threatening ones are simply not his kind of thing. And he would be extra thankful too if Riku would just take away Gokudera with him and keep him on leash.

Then again, he isn't as heartless as correcting Riku's harmless deductions either. So he figured staying silent was the best option. Though, Tsuna got to admit, the way Gokudera had treated Riku made him feel a bit nostalgic. Not angry. Or sad. Just pure unutterable nostalgia. Like he had once seen, or even receive, the same treatment; which is weird, Tsuna immediately corrected himself, unable to fathom how a guy like him could even receive the highest respect from someone, and from a guardian no less.

Tsuna sighed.

"-stay with Tsuna then, Gokudera-kun."

At the mention of his name, Tsuna's ears perked up. Stay with whom? What were they talking about? Next thing he knew, Gokudera was bowing a perfect 90 degrees at Riku before agreeing like an underling accepting a newly assigned mission. And then, feeling satisfied, Riku walked away, leaving the silverette with the brunette. "I'll leave him to you then, Tsuna," Riku waved a hand. "But first, I think you should hurry up and wear some clothes."

Tsuna looked at his naked self. Seeing himself in no more than his boxers, Tsuna fought the urge to blush. "Riku!" Riku laughed, before disappearing on a turn. Tsuna knitted his brows, still not following the situation. Shouldn't Gokudera stay with Riku, being a guardian assigned to protect the Sky? Then why-?

"Heika's friend," Gokudera called. "Heika had asked me to guard you for his sake," he further explained as he turned towards the smaller lad. "Che. Really, how pathetic can you get? To have no friend other than Heika. I'm surprised even Heika himself would want to make friends with you."

Tsuna just stared at the other as if he grew a pair. Those words didn't hurt him as much as it should. Cue in the bullies from school, Tsuna was quite used to being verbally and physically abused. Moreover, he knew for a fact that he couldn't compare to the almighty Riku… so, really, why bother being hurt over something he had believed was true anyway?

"Though," Gokudera scratched his head before bowing. It wasn't a perfect 90 degrees, but respectful enough after realising his own mistakes. "I am sorry for causing trouble a while back. In a way, and for Heika-sama's sake, I will atone for my sins."

_Shouldn't Heika and -sama be both redundant? _Tsuna thought. But who is he anyway to correct it when he himself couldn't even pass Languages. Tsuna laughed. He mirrored Gokudera's actions and scratched his head, urging the other to stop bowing at the same time. "Please don't mention it," Tsuna smiled. "But, ahh, I'd be very grateful though if you'd stop blowing up anything from this point on."

Gokudera didn't promise him anything. But it was good enough for Tsuna, noticing the former had at least acknowledged his request.

Aside from the now-awake neighbours glancing at Tsuna and calling him 'hentai,' the trip back home was uneventful. Tsuna kept a good distance from Gokudera, still a bit uncomfortable, not to mention his glares were scary too.

_"_Tadaima," Tsuna greeted as he opened the front door of his house. He left his shoes by the door and placed the sword by the stairs. Nana emerged from the kitchen.

"Ara~ Done with your exercise, Tsu-kun?" she beamed. Tsuna tried to smile. Well, perhaps it was best his mom kept her innocence and let her stay in the dark anyway. Tsuna nodded. He eyed the silverette still standing outside. Gokudera probably took the hint, Tsuna thought, considering he hadn't said anything more. Tsuna sighed in relief.

"I will be in your care," Gokudera bowed, the same kind of bow he had given Tsuna earlier. Nana smiled, thinking he must've been Tsuna's friend (_Really, why does everyone think he's my friend? _Tsuna cried. _He tried to kill me!_) and how fun it would've been to have a new addition in the house and have someone Tsuna can rely on.

"Please come in then…" Nana went on.

"Gokudera Hayato," Gokudera finished. Nana's smile grew wider.

After all introductions were done, the three proceeded to the kitchen. It was still a little past five, so Tsuna figured why not have a proper breakfast first (for a change). As they entered the kitchen doors-

"Mama," Tsuna's eyes widened, shocked seeing everything was back to normal as if nothing had happened. "What happened?"

Nana looked at her son, still with that same happy-blank expression. It was starting to creep out Tsuna a bit, curious if his mom had any other emotion at all — or at least had any idea what was even happening. He pushed the thought at the back of his mind however and instead waited for Nana's explanation.

"I was cooking breakfast when a suited man with the hat came in-" she began.

Tsuna's sweat dropped.

"Then more men came in and they fixed the kitchen," Nana finished and, of course, not without her signature beam.

"That- That's it?" Tsuna had to ask, feeling suspicious.

"Ara~ Before the man with the hat left, he also said something like 'dame-Tsuna owed him now.'" Nana smiled. Tsuna face-palmed. _Yeah, that's it, _Tsuna glumly concluded, the dreadful ending he was looking for. It was _Reborn _alright. And somehow, it sent him shivers just thinking what kind of payment the hellish adviser would be asking him.

Tsuna fell face front.

"Tsu-kun?" Nana looked at her son. "If you sleep again, you'll be late for school."

_I don't even feel like going to school! _Tsuna whined, imagining a dinosaur with a Reborn head eating him the moment he does reach school.

All this time, Gokudera just looked at the two talk, particularly curious at the brunette lad. While he was sure Riku was the Heika he was looking for (well, his instincts did react strongly when Riku appeared a while ago; plus, with the performance Tsuna is showing right now, it left Gokudera no room for doubts), there was still something about the brunette that made him feel uneasy. Moreover, he had that strong resemblance to the former Heika's face engraved in Gokudera's memory.

Gokudera understood Riku's sentiments of wanting to protect Tsuna, not just Tsuna but basically everyone in town, in case he himself would not be around. But then, Gokudera thought, this mission might prove to be more dangerous than he had expected. Not physically dangerous at least; but more like a threat to the loyalty he was most known for.

And to think he had already sworn said loyalty to Riku.

.

As Riku walked the halls of the castle, he was already aware of a certain adviser waiting for him, leaning on the walls just beyond the door to his room. Ever since his miraculous recovery, after he had finally taken Reborn's training seriously, his instincts and senses had improved dramatically. Now, he could sense even the presence his tutor tried so hard to mask.

Riku opened the door to his room. He docked just as a bullet went past and engraved itself on the door.

"Riku, why did you let Gokudera stay with dame-Tsuna?"

"I know that is not what you really wanted to ask, _Reborn_," Riku answered. "And to answer you: Yes, I could sense him. I am sure Gokudera is one of the guardians from the legends. Inheritor of the storm guardian, G."

Reborn narrowed his eyes. _Sense, _Riku had said. It was one thing to know who they were. But for him to sense even their presence was another thing entirely. He was also there, hiding in the shadows, when Gokudera had sworn his loyalty to Riku.

"I am aware, Reborn. Sooner or later, even if I don't want to, I'd have to fight Tsuna if I want to keep the throne," Riku's ring lit up. "But as of now, my resolve is to fix the kingdom. A leader can't be greedy. It is not his job to horde his soldiers. Rather, it is for him to strategically place them on the board. Gokudera _is_ my knight."

He looked at Reborn, a sombre expression on his face. The flame was gone. "Or, at least, I hope he will be."

Reborn couldn't say more. No, not against those words. His student had grown, more than he could ever imagine at such short amount of time. Reborn quietly exited Riku's room. This will be hard. After all, to have two competent Skies fighting for the heavens is something that had never happened before. One who had the purest resolve even if it wasn't initially meant for him… and the other with the legacy but hasn't shown any signs of taking it.

_No, _Reborn corrected. Riku actually had as much chance as having that legacy as Tsuna, if not more. Reborn laughed. After all, only he in all of Vongola knew this secret; and as a result, knew the real reason behind the growing restlessness of the Millefiore — the truth why they had attacked Vongola thirteen years ago.

_Giotto, _he wondered. _Who among your two son's bloodline will fulfil the destiny? _Then, lowering his fedora hat, Reborn was gone.

If only you could answer,_ I'd like to know._

* * *

FINAL **NOTE:** Yey~ I figured revealing it now wouldn't make much of a difference. In fact, I think it would be mighty interesting, don't you think? That said, yes, Riku will be a great leader. So please don't expect him to turn evil. :D lol And yeah, this story is still under adventure. But said adventure would have to come later.

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think. :)


	6. Chapter 5

**A**N: Well, with the revelation in the previous chapters, I guess it's nice to take a nice breather first before moving on. So yeah, a relatively short /canon-ish/ chapter about Tsuna's normal every day life. Or not. Sort of. Hahaha

**WARNING**: Unbeta'ed

* * *

**Vongola Prince**

by _pseudonym08_

_._

_Chapter Five_: Two Teams

It had almost been a week since Gokudera Hayato started occupying the extra room they had. But although he was living with them, Tsuna hardly felt his presence inside the house. Gokudera would wake up earlier than him, most of the time at the same time with Tsuna's mother, Nana; and would occasionally help out in the kitchen. After so however, and breakfast, by the time Tsuna woke up, he would already be out and gone. And at night, he would come back a little past bedtime, when the Sawada family are all asleep.

Tsuna knew he should be suspicious of this. People behaving like that only meant they were up to no good. Even so, like the first time the brunette had seen and helped the silverette collapsed on the ground, no warning bells were triggered. In fact, contrary to it. He felt a strange calmness, like he could wholeheartedly trust this guy.

Tsuna sighed. He grabbed a bread on a plate and his packed lunch, took his bamboo sword by the corner and head out for school, only hearing a faint 'take care' from his mom behind.

.

Tsuna was particularly early today; so rather than rushing, he took his time eating his bread and enjoying the city. Although some merchants in town were still preparing for the day, most already had their tents and shops set up, and a lot of buyers were up and about shopping for goods. Seeing the usual peaceful air in the city made Tsuna smile.

As he was finishing the last piece of his bread, he caught sight of a familiar jet-black hair. "Riku!" he called without a second thought.

The called lad searched the crowd for the voice; and upon violet eyes landing on brown ones, Riku smiled and waved a hand back. Beside him turned another silverette lad. _Gokudera_. Tsuna cringed. He almost had the urge to turn around and run. But then it would be rude of him.

"You're early today, Tsuna!" Riku slapped Tsuna's shoulders when the latter was finally within arm's length; and casually slung his arm right after. _Tch. _Tsuna heard someone curse from the other side, but paid it no mind. He was, after all, the one butting in where he's not wanted — ahh… because he just squeezed himself in on someone's bonding time with his 'heika.'

"Speak for yourself, Riku," the brunette replied, desperately trying his best not to flinch from the icy stares he's receiving. "Inspection?"

Whether Riku was intentionally pretending not to notice the aura or not, he merely shrugged. His mood light and happy as ever in the morning. "And breakfast too! Gokudera here hasn't eaten breakfast yet," he pointed at Gokudera. Tsuna looked at the silverette, who by now was bowing a perfect 90 degree at Riku.

"You don't have to trouble yourself with me, heika-sama. It was my fault, my absolute fault for waking up late!" He bowed again and again.

"Nope! Your stomach was growling all the time. You need to eat." With that, discussions were over. Riku dismissed the silverette and turned to looking at some pastries. "Oh! Look at that bread. It looked tasty!" Riku beamed at the seller. "How much for it?"

Tsuna scratched his head and sweat-dropped. Gokudera, who had been bitter and sour the past second, was now brimming with happiness, eyes sparkling as he looked at his _heika-sama _buy him some bread_. _His heika-sama was so kind and considerate.

"Oh! Gokudera-kun, you're wearing our uniform?" the brunette asked, finally noticing the silverette's clothes.

"Gokudera didn't tell you? He was given Reborn's permission to attend school," Riku answered, as he handed a hot bun to the silver-haired teen.

"Arigatou, heika-sama. Arigatou!"

"You want one, Tsuna?" Riku offered an extra piece. Tsuna simply smiled and waved no. And so, the three of them began walking to school.

The walk to school was uneventful and — Tsuna might dare add — normal for once and Reborn-free. The three hadn't talked much aside from the previous and upcoming quizzes they'll be having which, obviously, Tsuna had forgotten to study about. Again.

Upon hearing this pathetic news, Gokudera would curse and frown, thinking how useless the brunette was as compared to his heika-sama. His heika-sama…! His heika-sama who's now laughing beside him. And just that, realising his heika-sama was beside, Gokudera would be all smiles again. His heart filled with pride, while Tsuna was left shaking, exaggeratedly speaking of course, from the silverette's glares prior to it.

Over and over, the entire walk went like that. All the while with Riku seemingly the only one enjoying the whole thing.

By the time they reached school, Tsuna was already mentally and psychologically exhausted. And when they reached class, the first bell rang.

.

Nezu-sensei was on time as always for Monday's homeroom. Seeing the brunette present for it, the old man raised a brow. He scoffed, a bit disappointed he couldn't bully anyone today. Said brunette could only laugh awkwardly.

"Today, you'll be having a new classmate," Nezu closed the attendance book and cleared his throat. "Please come in."

On cue, Gokudera Hayato entered the room and glared at everyone, both hands inside his pockets. He nonchalantly said his name, earning screams from the girls and whispers from some guys. He scanned the room. Riku, his heika-sama, was seated on the second row from the back, the brunette beside him by the window. Noticing a seat behind his heika-sama empty, he grinned inwardly.

BAM!

The door slammed open.

"Gomen, Nezu-sensei," a tall lad with raven hair and blue eyes stood by the door; baseball bat strapped on his back. It was obvious he had been running. His sweaty polo said so. But his breathing was even and pulse normal.

"Yamamoto-kun!"

"Kyaa! Yamamoto is late again!"

"Yamamoto!" Nezu yelled amidst the frantic screams of fans — mostly girls — to which the lad named Yamamoto plainly ignored. He put on his goofy grin and bowed to the teacher. And as Yamamoto was heading towards his seat-.

!

Gokudera's brows furrowed. His hand instinctively reached out and grabbed the other's arm. "Oyy," he called. Yamamoto turned around to meet the silverette's glare.

The two were silent for a while, with most of the class wondering whether Gokudera had known Yamamoto before. Well, after all, it wouldn't be much of a shock anyway, considering how famous Yamamoto was in the baseball field of their district. Perhaps the good rumours had reached even the neighbouring towns…?

"Ah!" Yamamoto broke the ice. "I suppose you're the new student? Yoroshiku, I'm Yamamoto Takeshi!" he offered the free hand for a shake, but Gokudera only slapped it away before releasing the other. Yamamoto didn't take offence in it however and folded his hands behind his head instead. Then, he went on merrily marching towards his seat, the very same seat our new student Gokudera was previously eyeing on.

"Che." Gokudera cursed, clenching and unclenching his hand. Surprisingly, he didn't argue when Nezu gave the free seat behind Tsuna instead. Either way, it was still technically right next to his heika-sama; so it's fine. It made one brunette uncomfortable of course, but who was he to care anyway whether said brunette was comfortable or not.

Every time Gokudera would look to his right, even with his heika-sama on sight, he'd take more notice on the same idiotic smile plastered on that baseball idiot's face. Sometimes even, their eyes would meet and that smile would turn more idiotic. To say he was annoyed would be a huge understatement.

"Tch."

And so, with that, the rest of the morning classes went on with him glaring at everyone, sans his heika-sama, leaving one lad in front of him near fainting.

.

When afternoon came, the last class for Monday, physicals — or also called by some as PE.

Everyone in class was gathered on the big field of the school. Today was the first round for _kemari_, but a rather modified version of kemari. There would be two teams of mixed gender, each with a goal. So aside from keeping the ball up, one must shoot the ball to the enemy's goal to earn a point.

It was decided early on that the two leaders were Yamamoto Takeshi and Vongola Riku.

"Now, does everyone have teams?" their PE teacher called.

"Sensei," one lad raised his hand. "Tsuna still doesn't have one."

"Ah."

And the class erupted in laughter. One might wonder why he wasn't in Riku's team, considering it's the most obvious circumstance. One answer: his team was full. Before Riku knew it, even if he does include Tsuna, the brunette would still spend the rest of the period sitting on a bench. Riku pinched the bridge of his nose. Well, maybe it's okay as long as Tsuna's in a team? Riku sighed.

"Tsuna-!"

"Ah, I'll take Tsuna, sensei!"

"Yamamoto?!"

Yamamoto's teammates began voicing their complaints.

"No way, Yamamoto!"

"We'll lose if Tsuna's on our team."

Yamamoto smiled. He approached the concerned brunette and slung an arm on his shoulder. "It's fine, isn't it? I'd just keep them from kicking the ball to our goal."

"!"

Seeing their leader all fine and confident, eventually, the rest of the group desist. And so, everything was settled. Gokudera clicked his tongue; whether of annoyance or mockery, no one really knew.

In no time, their PE teacher blew the whistle. And the game began.

Everyone formed one big circle as the teacher did the ceremonial toss. The two leaders jumped to get the first kick and pass the ball to a teammate. Unfortunately, it was Riku who got the ball. Fortunately, he accidentally passed it on to Tsuna, who then randomly bounced the ball to Gokudera.

Tsuna struggled to be of use to the team and not disappoint Yamamoto, but the muscle and speed gods were not to his favour like usual. Every time the ball is passed to him, he would, without control, pass it on to the opposing team. Eventually, even his teammates began rerouting the ball whenever it was headed his way.

After a while, Tsuna slowed down to a jog, choosing to be an infield observer instead. It's not like someone would pass the ball now to him anyway. Tsuna's shoulders sagged. Even though he was now friends with Riku, nothing really changed. He hasn't changed. Still the same no-good Tsuna.

Everyone around him was working so hard, and it made him feel sad being useless once again. Yamamoto, in particular, despite all stress on him as their leader, kept his carefree smile to cheer them on. He was giving his best, driving himself to exhaustion despite a district baseball game just a few days away.

'It must be nice being Yamamoto-kun,' Tsuna sincerely thought. To be able to give his best despite the pressure of a competition… _Are? _Tsuna's brow crossed. _Now that I thought of it…_

Tsuna snapped out of his reverie when he heard the whistle again. He hadn't realised, but the game was ending. His team lost.

"Nice game, Yamamoto-kun!"

"Haha! Same, Riku!"

"Teme! How can you not call heika-sama, heika-sama?! Baseball freak!"

"Maa, maa, it's fine, Gokudera-kun."

"Ah! Gomenasai, heika-sama!"

"Haha! It's fine, Gokudera. No need to apologise," Riku wiped off the sweat on his neck with a towel. "Let's go."

"We're leaving, Yamamoto-kun!"

As the two left, Yamamoto nodded at their direction.

"Yamamoto-kun," at this, Tsuna approached his leader. "Are you okay?"

For a second, Yamamoto showed a hint of surprise. But just as quickly as it came, he masked it with nonchalance. "Of course, Tsuna! Sorry we lost though," Yamamoto stretched his arms. "I've been busy practicing with baseball but my average just seemed to keep on dropping. I end up distracted on today's game."

Tsuna waved his hand. "No, it's no problem Yamamoto-kun!" he bowed. For a while, Tsuna thought hard. Yamamoto must've been through a lot. He wanted to at least say something to show his support. "But it seems like dropping from average is normal, Yamamoto-kun! I'm sure, with practice, you can get back in top shape again!"

"Ah!" Yamamoto exclaimed. "Ahahaha! Practice, huh?" Tsuna felt there was something wrong with that laugh. "Thanks, Tsuna!" But, thinking it was just his imagination, he decided to ignore it. Tsuna bowed once again. "Again, I am very sorry for being very useless today, Yamamoto."

"It's fine, Tsuna-!"

"No, it is NOT fine, Yamamoto!" The rest of their teammates were already done packing and ready to leave. The only person they're all probably waiting was Yamamoto.

"That's right! It was Tsuna's fault why we lost."

"So, right now, Tsuna will be in-charge of cleaning the field!"

"But-!"

Before Yamamoto could protest, "It's fine, Yamamoto-kun," Tsuna cut him off. "Please leave this to me and prepare for the contest!" Please don't forget to rest, he wanted to add; but his teammates had already dragged Yamamoto away from the field. A faint 'okay' was his only answer.

.

The next day

Tsuna was still sleepy, even when he was just a few steps away from the school gates. For some weird reason, he couldn't sleep last night; something like the pit of his stomach jumbling in knots, feeling like something could go wrong any minute. He didn't get to meet Riku or Gokudera today too.

He was just rubbing the sleep off his eyes when a panicky student bumped him on the shoulders. He forced himself awake as he bent down to pick his fallen sword.

"Hey, hey, did you hear?" Tsuna took a sideway glance at two students whispering not too far away.

"What? No way!"

Tsuna's brow crossed. Every student around him was in a state of uproar before, one by one, they start running towards the school. Well, he knew he only has about two minutes 'til bell, but cases like that was so common it should no longer alarm the students. So why-?

"Hurry! Yamamoto's about to jump off the building!" a lad screamed from the gates.

At this, Tsuna's mind blanked. _Yama...moto?_ And he dashed towards the school.

Tsuna searched the building where the crowd was gathered and looked up. Confirming a silhouette on top, he dove inside without hesitation and ran like hell towards the rooftop.

"Yamamoto!"

Tsuna opened the door.

"Yo, Tsuna!" Yamamoto was already over the fence, right hand on a cast. Tsuna's eyes widened. His brows furrowed.

"Are you an idiot?" Tsuna yelled. At this, Yamamoto's sombre expression only worsened and he laughed.

"Yes, you're right, Tsuna. I must be," he answered and sighed. Everyone must think of him now as an idiot. Or maybe, all this time, he was already one? Yamamoto smiled bitterly. "If you're here to stop me-"

"Yamamoto."

"!"

Yamamoto's eyes widened. The voice that called him... was a voice both familiar and new. It was calm, so sure and yet so full of emotions — deep and understanding. It rooted Yamamoto in his place. And for a while, he stayed like that, unmoving. Even the concerned screams of the crowd were drowned in by that voice that conveyed so much despite with just his name.

"It's a waste to die from something like this," the other breathed. "Don't you think so, Yamamoto?"

Yamamoto scoffed and turned around. And the moment he did, his deep blue eyes were greeted by pure orange ones. A smile so honest and compassionate was painted on the lad's face, so far off from the image he'd usually display. But Yamamoto knew, had known in fact for a long time now. Sure, every now and then, he'd had his doubts; but this time around…

This was _his _sky.

And to think of meeting him like this… Yamamoto laughed. He looked at those orange eyes once again, as they slowly fade back into a hazy brown.

_So you finally called, huh… Tsuna?_

* * *

Yey! I updated. That said, I'm really very very sorry for this very late update! And thank you very much for all the patience and support! :) More so to foxchick1 for the constant reminder. XD

Thank you very much for reading! Feedbacks are highly appreciated. :)


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